Moon 2019: Supermoon to light up sky just 30 days after lunar eclipse dazzles MILLIONS

A SUPERMOON will light up the night in less than a month after a Super Blood Moon lunar eclipse was watched in awe by millions of stargazers around the globe.

Eclipse 2019: Giant full moon turns red over Germany

The Super oon lunar eclipse peaked in the nightside of Earth around 5.13am on Monday, January 21. The spectacular eclipse brought together three are events into one – a Blood Moon, a total lunar eclipse and a Supermoon near perigee. As a result of this combination, the Full Moon appeared larger, brighter and turned a deep orange-to-red colour during totality. Lunar events like this are an incredible rarity and only three Super Blood Moons are expected to peak this century in January.

The next January Super Blood Moon, also known as a Super Blood Wolf Moon, will appear in 18 years.

Millions had a chance to watch the eclipse redden the sky over the Western Hemisphere, where it was visible for just over an hour.

Stargazers are now looking forward to the next Supermoon event, which will arrive in just 30 days, and will be the biggest one of the year.

And with only three Supermoons scheduled to make an appearance this year, astronomers suggest you keep your eyes peeled.

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Moon 2019: A Supermoon Full Moon event

Moon 2019: The next Supermoon peaks on the night of February 19 (Image: GETTY)

When is the next Supermoon?

The next Supermoon will rise just 30 days after the Blood Moon, in the afternoon hours of February 19, 2019.

The Supermoon will be the second in a series of three consecutive Supermoons this year.

The Moons fall on January 21, February 19 and March 21, 2019.

Here in the UK, the February Super Full Moon will creep over the horizon at 5.11pm GMT and set the following day at 7.50am GMT.

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During this window of opportunity, the Moon will look brighter and larger than usual.

Before we called them Supermoons, we in astronomy called these Moons perigean

Bruce McClure, EarthSky.org

In New York, US, the Supermoon will rise a bit later at 5.46pm EST and set the next day at 7.35am EST.

On the West Coast in California, the Full Moon will rise even later at 6.02pm PST and set at 7.29am PST the next morning.

Elsewhere, in India for instance, the Super Full Moon will not appear until around 6.30pm IST.

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What is a Supermoon?

The term supermoon describes any Full Moon which falls near the lunar orb’s perigee, or closest orbital point to Earth.

A Moon is dubbed "Super" whenever it comes within 224,775 miles (361,740 km) of our home planet

When compared to the Full Moon at apogee, or its farthest distance from Earth, the Moon can appear considerably larger and brighter.

The Moon always reaches its perigee during its 29-day-long lunar cycle but this does not always fall on a Full Moon.

Moon 2019: Plane flying in front of Supermoon

Moon 2019: Supermoons are closer to Earth than on average and appear bigger (Image: GETTY)

Moon 2019: Supermoon Full Moon

Moon 2019: The Moon has to be full and near perigee to be called a Supermoon (Image: GETTY)

Perigee is sometimes reached during a shrouded New Moon but this is not visible to the naked eye from Earth.

Astronomer Bruce McClure of EarthSky.org explained: “Before we called them Supermoons, we in astronomy called these Moons perigean Full Moons, or perigean New Moons. Perigee just means near Earth.

“The Moon is full, or opposite Earth from the Sun, once each month. It’s new, or more or less between the Earth and Sun, once each month.

“And, every month, as it orbits Earth, the Moon comes closest to Earth, or to perigee. The Moon naturally swings farthest away once each month, too; that point is called apogee.”

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